Methods of producing coated articles



Sept. 2l, 1954 G. F. DALELIO 2,689,801

METHODS OF' PRODUCING COATED ARTICLES Filed July l1. 1949 i l L-LL I5 /720/ /Iumwlulu f -9 azmur'/ AIR OR/1 STORAGE BINS V -J-..4v.r.-- T 95 v g5 r THEEMOPLASTIC Kirja 5.

INVENIOR. 64E/'HNO E OLfLJo.

Patented Sept. 21, 1954 METHODS OF PRODUCING COATED ARTICLES Gaetano F. DAlelio, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Koppers Company, Inc., a corporation of Dela- Waffe Application July 11, 1949, Serial No. 104,106

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in methods of producing articles covered with solid particulate material, and products obtained by such methods.

Numerous methods have been proposed by Which granules or solid particulate materials are applied to surfaces for decorative or protective purposes. Ordinarily, an adhesive or binder is first applied to a surface to be coated, and While the adhesive or binder is still soft and sticky, granules are sprinkled thereon, whereafter the adhesive or binder is permitted to dry or harden. Also, it has been a practice to heat a thermoplastic surface to soften it and to apply granules to the softened surface.

A feature of the present invention, in which a thermoplastic surface is covered with solid particulate material, comprises applying solid particulate material by means of a conveying gas to a solid thermoplastic surface while heat is applied to the particulate material in suspension in such conveyingr gas. The thermoplastic is softened momentarily upon impingement of the heated particles on its surface. Particles of the particulate material adhere to the surface and are anchored in place upon rehardening of the thermoplastic. There are several advantages in this procedure, namely, it makes possible easier and quicker handling in commercial production; now of the thermoplastic is prevented; and the thermoplastic more readily retains its original general form even on vertical surfaces. Furthermore, when the thermoplastic serves as a `coating on a base, its attachment to the base is more strongly maintained by permitting the thermoplastic to retain its initially hardened state in contact with the base surface.

A further feature, in the present invention, comprises projecting heated particles of solid particulate material onto thermoplastic surfaces placed at any angle, in vertical as well as horizontal position, obtaining thereby a granule coated surface, the granules being uniformly distributed over an entire surface, or arranged in patterns or figures that can be of one solid color or variegated. Highly desirable effects are obtained by applying granules within certain preferred mesh ranges that can be variously colored, and also by the successive application of particulate material in which particles are of prescribed dimensions. A A

Products of outstanding appearance are obtained by the present method and are believed to be notably different from granule coated products obtained in the customary procedures.

The above indicated and other features of the invention and their attendant advantages are more fully described hereinbeloW :in preferred,

form and by way of illustration, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a preferred type of apparatus for applying solid particulate material to thermoplastic surfaces;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a side elevational view of apparatus suitable for continuous, large-scale production of granule-surfaced articles, such as sheets employable for various purposes;

' Fig. 3 is a View of apparatus shown in Fig. 2 taken on line 3 3;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of apparatus for use in applying granules to a single sheet held in upright position, and illustrates the manipulation of the apparatus in Fig. 1 by hand; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, diagrammatic, sectional view of a fragment of a granule-suriaced article that can be produced by the spraying process.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates the construction of a granule-applying device for use in heating and in distributing solid particulate material on a thermoplastic surface. The granule-applying device comprises alpistol-shaped means having a barrel section I and a handle 2. The handle 2 is provided with a passage 3 for heating fluid, such as a combustible mixture of air or oxygen and a hydrocarbon supplied from suitable sources through tubes 4 and 5 and control valves B and 1 respectively.

A passage 8 in the handle 2 serves for the delivery of air or oxygen under pressure to an aspirator unit at the rear end of the barrel section I. The aspirator unit comprises a tube 9 that is connected to any suitable supply means, such as a hopper (not shown), for granules, and having an open end Il] positioned in an aspirating chamber Il. The air or oxygen from the passage 8 ows into the space 12d and is then forced through open-ended nozzles I2 which are arranged concentrically around the tube 9. The nozzles I2 direct the air or oxygen across the open end lil of the tube 9. The granules are thus drawn into and ejected at high velocity from the chamber I I through a central bore I3, and thereafter are projected through an annular flame of burning gases emitted from annular orice I4.

Gases for producing the name are conducted from the passage 3 to the orifice I4, through an annular space I5 between concentricl sleeves I5 and I1.

To reduce erosion due to the movement of process.

granules, the chamber I I and bore I3 are provided with an abrasion-resistant inner surface. The tube 9, the sleeve IIS, and the lining I8 of chamber I I, which are replaceable, can be made entirely of abrasion-resistant metal or other material.

The solidfparticulate-material employed in the present process for coating a vthermoplastic surface has one or more of the following properties, and preferably all combined, particularly for outdoor exposure: relatively non-fusible, incombustible, insoluble in water and-other solvents, and inert with respect to combustion gases or the atmosphere to which thesurfaceis to loe-.exposed, or to the thermoplasticitself. A'lheparticles should at least be unaffected physically or chemically by the iiame of the granular-applying device unless certain changes are thereby desirable for decorative or other purposes. .In view of the high velocity of the particles through the flame, Vthough the v'composition .of :certain .parti- `cles may-bev fusible, if allowedto-reach the actual temperature of .the.flame, they will notfuse, but

theyV are heated Y tosufficiently Ahigh temperatures granules, synthetic `granules or mixtures of l Ygranules of diiferentcompositions'and colors-or artiiicially coloredgranules-may be used to produce solid colored or vari-coloredgranule-surfaced articles. The particles may have surfaces which have any one or more of the following 5.

characteristics: curved, shell-like, iiat, approximately'smootneven planes,very uneven, rough, or irregular.

Particulate or granulematerials in which the bulk or major portion of theparticleshave aV grain size offrom approximately 40 to approximately 100 mesh are most satisfactory in the present Inthe useof larger particlesfthe application is slower, and adhesion is apt Vto be poorer. Smaller lparticles of uniform size *may be'employed but V.coverage is not asgood, anda dust disturbance Ais -apt to result. `Particulate materials, in which the granules are'of varying size in the above range, have excellent coverage power. Fines smaller than 100'mesh are preferablyremovedsince they tend to drift out ofthe trajectory of the conveying gases andto Vcoat adjacent areas of the thermoplastic surface-first and rthus later interfere Awith the adhesion lof the larger vparticles vto the .dusted f surface. A highly desirable granule-coveredA surface is .obtained by successive applications in -Which larger particles of a given size areappliedrst, and thereafter in one or more additional applications Vthel particles are successively smaller. Practically complete lcoverage is thus obtained, in lwhich the particles are densely packed on theithermoplastic surface and adhere strongly thereto.

Particulate fmaterials having, vfor example, the following screen analyses 'show Yhighly desirable results:

Various combinationsof fluid fuel, and oxygen for use in siding and roofing for buildings. 4.tunlinous 4material of. considerable `for this .purpose is a so-.called coal-.digestion pitchghaving softening-point and penetration characteris-tics or air, or both oxygen and air, may be employed for producing the iiame for heating the particulate material. A high temperature flame is not necessary. A iiame that is sharp and stable, and

adjustable to within about six inches of the annular orifice I4 is preferred. Adjustment of the length of the flame may loe-made so as to extend it along ,the path of the conveyed granules a longer or shorter distance. A suitable flame may :be produced, for instance, with natural gas at about 17 pounds pressure, and oxygen at about 30 pounds pressure. y

Suitable pressure gauges (not shown) may be provided for each of the fluids used in the gran- Vuic-applying device.

,those polymers known as -addition polymers, such as Vthe vinyl polymers of which typical examples are the polymers and co-polymers of vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, ethylene, methacrylic esters, acrylic esters, etc.

The thermoplastic surface remains substantially unheated by the flame from thegnanuleapplying device or, at least, its temperature is not .raisedlto `a point where thevthermoplasticis likely to ow on vertical surfaces. The thermoplastic is softened vmomentarily by each particle upon `impingement'in consequence of its rtemperature and velocity. fIn other Words, local plastic flow of thesolid thermoplastic :adjacent thepoint kof impact of each impinging particle in a suspension Vis effected by the-velocity of `impact of a heated `particle in the flowing suspension. .of the particle, the thermoplastic adjacent the `particle surfa-ce'rehardens andfastens the partif'cle in place.

On cooling The .presentprocess has been highly successfully applied to vthe ,gr-anule coating -of metal sheets-,predipped 4in bituminous coating Vmaterial A biwhich prevent fiowvof the pitch on ver-tical surfaces at highest atmospheric temperatures 'and prevent brittlingat lowest atmospheric tempera- Atures, as for `instance having jin combination a softening `point in a 4range l above approximately 95" 0., or about-.951Cato about 150 C., a penetration at 32 F. with ZOGgr-ams for 60seconds @of Vabove or at :least 1.10, and a penetration at F. vwith 50 ygrams for 5 seconds of 'not more `'than about 85.

A ,preferred composition of .the above Vpitch `comprises a rheavy hydrocarbon ,oil Vin uniform admixture with thermally decomposed vbituminous coalandheat-liqueable bitumen, the mixture having.theabovesoftening point andpenetra-tion characteristics. An example of vsuch a composition yisdescribedandl claimed in` U.:S.Pat

zent No. 2,395,041 to W. F. Fair, Jr. vSuch pitchfis as described and claimed in a copending application of W. F. Fair, Jr., Serial No. 783,128, filed October 30, 1947. The coating is permitted to harden on the metal surface before subjecting it to the process of the present invention.

Reference is made to Figs. 2 and 3 in which apparatus is diagrammatically shown to illustrate a continuous method of coating articles with solid particulate material. Articles, such as corrugated metal sheets 20 coated with a cold or hardened thermoplastic, such as those mentioned above, are placed on an endless belt 2|. This belt carries the coated sheets 20 horizontally in the direction of the arrow, through suspensions of heated particles 22 of the desired particulate material so that 'the exposed thermoplastic surface is preferably uniformly `covered with such particles.

In the coating `of sheets by means of the apparatus shown in Figs. 2 and 3, granule-applying devices 23 of the type shown in Fig. 1, are positioned above the belt 2| to direct ythe lparticulate material downwardly upon a sheet surface.` Each device 23 is provided with a tube 24 corresponding to the tube '9 (Fig. 1) for feeding particulate material to the device from storage bins (not shown). A tube 25 for aspirating air or oxygen, and tubes 26 and21, respectively, for air or oxygen and fuel for the flame, are also connected to each device 23, One such device, or a plurality of such devices in a bank may be used, depending on the widthof a sheet. The vertical distance between the nozzle of a device 23 and the surface of a sheet 20 is adjustable, and so is the spread of the granules from each device. For substantially complete coverage, the -devices 23 in a bank are so spaced that no gap occurs in the granule coating as the sheets 20 are moved along. The zones reached by the particles in the suspension from one device and from a device next :adjacentthereto in a bank may, if desired, be slightly overlapping.

The speed at which the belt 2| carries the articles 4through a suspension of particles depends on sever-al factorsincluding the nature of the particles and of the thermoplastic, the temperature to which the particles are heated and the force with which they are applied. In treating metal sheets coated with coal-digestion pitch, speeds up toa maximum of about 18 lineal feet per minute have been satisfactorily employed. By the Atime the sheets reach the end of the belt 2 I, the particles become rmly set in the thermoplastic. If both sides are to be covered, the sheets are turned ,over and consecutively passed through the suspensions again.

Successive applications of particulate material of dierent mesh, as for instance, an application of material of larger particle size followed by particulate material of smaller par-ticle size, may be accomplished with one granule-applying device or with a plurality of such devices. One bank of devices 23 may be used for such successive applications, or ya plurality of spaced banks may be placed parallel to each other above the belt 2 I. For illustration, a second bank may be in line with a granule-applying -device 30 shown in part in Fig. 2. The number of banks of granule-applying devices Will depend on the number of diierent mesh particulate material to be separately and successively applied. The first fbank of granule-applying devices that is approached by a sheet on the belt 2l, applies the larger particles, the next bank particles of gases are also introduced in smaller size and so on, so that the smallest parti-` cles are applied by the final bank.

Under certain conditions, in an arrangement such as that shown in Figs. 2 and `3, the fuel for heating the conveyed particles in suspension can be burned prior to its use in a granule-applyng device and instead, the resultant het products of combustion are fed through tube 21 to heat the particles passing through and ejected from the barrel section. If desired, the hot combustion place of air or oxygen through the tube 25 into the aspirating means in the device 23. In this case, the use of tubes 26 and 21 may be alternatively eliminated. Though hot combustion gases are, in certain respects, more advantageously applied, hot gaseous fluid obtained other-wise than by combustion may be used for aspirating, and for heating and conveying the granules.

For piecework or for hand spraying, a sheet 3l pre-coated with thermoplastic may be placed in upright position on an applying device 33 such as that shown in Fig. 1 may be used to cover the thermoplastic coat with granules 34.

As indicated above, novel products with novel surface appearance are obtained by the process of the present invention. As illustrated in an enlarged section in Fig. 5, an article is produced on the surface of which particulate material can be denselypacked. 'Ihe surfaces of particles are brought tightly together so that complete coverage can be accomplished. The smaller sized particles 35 lll spaces between the larger sized particles 36 so that there are few, if any, voids and so that the thermoplastic is not visible. The particles are held rigidly in place whether fiat or rounded sides or sharp edges thereof contact the thermoplastic.

What is claimed is:

1. In a method providing a covering of solid particulate material on a thermoplastic surface, projecting heated solid particulate material in successive applications onto said surface over the same area to cause the particles upon impingement on the said surface in each application to fuse exposed thermoplastic in said area momentarily and locally adjacent points of impact of the particles, the pressure at which the particles contact the thermoplastic surface being sufficient to cause the heated particles to adhere to the exposed thermoplastic to which the particles in each application are applied, and the particle size of particulate material in a succeeding application being smaller than the particle size of particulate material in a preceding application, to cover exposed portions of said surface with said articulate material. Y

2. In a method providing a covering of solid particulate material on a thermoplastic surface, projecting heated solid particulate material in successive applications onto said surface over the same area to cause the particles upon impingement on the said surface in each application to fuse exposed thermoplastic in said area momentarily and locally adjacent points of impact of the particles, the pressure at which the particles contact the thermoplastic surface being sufficient to cause the heated particles to adhere to the exposed thermoplastic to which the particles in each application are applied, and the particle size of particulate material in a succeeding application being smaller than the particle size of particulate material in a preceding application, and the particle size of particulate mateeasel 32, and a granulerialfinreach application being in theapproximate range of 40 to 100'mesh,.toY cover exposedportionsof said surfacewithsaid. particulate material. y

3. In a method providing a covering of; solid particulate material onia thermoplastic surface, While projecting by means of aco-nveying gas solid particulate materialinsuspension in said gas in successive applications onto-said thermoplastic surfaceover the same area, heating-said particulate material; abovev the softening point of the thermoplastic to cause, the particles'ofsaid material upon impingementonthe saidxsiuface in each applicationzto use exposedthermoplastic in said areamornentarilyand locally adjacent points of impact ofthe particles andxthereafter to become adhesively attached tov said' surface upon hardeningv of said' thermoplastic, the pres.- sure at which the 'particlescontact the thermoplastic surface being, sufcient to cause the heated particles to adhereV tothe exposedthermoplastic to which thefparticles"` in each application are applied, and the'particle size of particulate material in a succeeding applicationbeing smaller than the particle size of particulatematerial in a preceding application, and the particle size of particulate material in each application being in the approximaterrange of 40 tol 100 mesh.

4. In a method of covering articles having a thermoplastic surface by. passing said articles through suspended solid particulate material. in a conveying gaseous fluid, passing an area. of an exposed thermoplastic surface of an article successively through a plurality ofk suspensions of heated solid particulate material in said gaseous iiuid, the pressure at which the particles contact the thermoplastic surface being suiiicient to cause the heated particles to adhere to the exposed thermoplastic to which the particles in each application are applied, and'theparticle. size of said particulate materialin a .succeeding suspension being smaller than the particlev size of particulate material in a precedingsuspension, to cover said area of saidV surface with. said particulate material.'

5.- In providing a covering. of solid particulate material on a solidthermoplastic surface fusible in a range-above highest atmospheric temperatures and below flame temperatures, the method comprising, while said4 thermoplastic surface is in a hardened, non-flowing state, delivering onto said surface with impact in a conveying gaseous stream under pressure a suspension of heated solid particulate material at a temperature in the above range and at a velocity4 to effect a momentary local plastic flow of the thermoplast at the points of impact of particles of said suspension, theipressure at` which-.the particlesfcontact thethermoplastic surface being. sufficient: to

causer the heated particles, to adhere to the exposed thermoplastic to Which they are applied, thereby attaching said particles to said surface upon rehardeningof: the thermoplast atvsaid points.

6; In providing a covering of.. solid particulate materialion a solidLthermoplastic surface fusible in` a vrange above highest; atmospheric temperatures and below flame temperatures, the method comprising, while said thermoplasticsurface is in a. hardened, non-owing state, projecting onto said surface With impact; in aV conveying gaseous stream under pressure a suspension of heated solid particulate materialat. a temperature substantially equivalent to'that to Whichsaid particles are heated in projecting said suspension through a flame, to effect a momentary local plastic flow ofv thel thermoplast;` at the points of impact of particles ofl saidv suspension, the pressure at which the particles contact the thermoplastic surface being suflicient Ato cause the heated particles toc adhere to the exposed thermoplastic to which they are applied', thereby attaching said particles to said surface upon rehardenng of the'thermoplast at said points.

7. In providing a coveringofi solid'v particulate material ona'solid thermoplasticsurface fusibie in a range above highest atmospheric temperatures andbelow flame temperatures, the method comprising, while saidthermoplastic surface is in a hardened, non-flowing state, projecting particles of said solid particulate material of substantially 40 to substantially 100-mesh through a ame onto said surface to effecta momentary local plastic flow ofthe thermoplast at .the points of impactV of said particles, the pressure at which the particlesconta'ct thethermoplastic surface being sufficient to cause theheated particles to adheretoy the exposed thermoplastic to which they are applied, thereby attaching saidv4 particles to said surface upon rehardening of the thermoplast4 at said points.

References Cited. in the file of this patent UNITED STATESlPATENTS Number Name Date 1,943,085 MullerA et al. Jan. 9, 1934 1,969,074 I-Iarshberger Aug. 7, 1934 2,104,384 Harris Jan. 4, 1938 2,137,442 Callan Nov. 22, 1938 2,173,484 Lerch et al.v Sept. 19, 1939 2,228,877 Howell Jan. 14, 1941 2,237,288y VBode Apr. 8, 1941 2,314,329 Ericson Mar. 23, 1943 2,458,143 Burns et a1 Jan. 4, 1949 

1. IN A METHOD PROVIDING A COVERING OF SOLID PARTICULATE MATERIAL ON A THERMOPLASTIC SURFACE, PROJECTING HEATED SOLID PARTICULATE MATERIAL IN SUCCESSIVE APPLICATIONS ONTO SAID SURFACE OVER THE SAME AREA TO CAUSE THE PARTICLES UPON IMPINGEMENT ON THE SAID SURFACE IN EACH APPLICATION TO FUSE EXPOSED THERMOPLASTIC IN SAID AREA MOMENTARILY AND LOCALLY ADJACENT POINTS OF IMPACT OF THE PARTICLES, THE PRESSURE AT WHICH THE PARTICLES CONTACT THE THERMOPLASTIC SURFACE BEING SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE THE HEATED PARTICLES TO ADHERE TO THE EXPOSED THERMOPLASTIC TO WHICH THE PARTICLES IN EACH APPLICATION ARE APPLIED, AND THE PARTICLE SIZE OF PARTICULATE MATERIAL IN A SUCCEEDING APPLICATION BEING SMALLER THAN THE PARTICLE SIZE OF PARTICULATE MATERIAL IN A PRECEDING APPLICATION, TO COVER EXPOSED PORTIONS OF SAID SURFACE WITH SAID ARTICULATE MATERIAL. 